Crystal River current. [volume] (Crystal, Colo.) 1886-18??, 1887-09-24

sncouraeinsIy to thehaplsss idiot, she
laid herself down fiat among tho tan
gle on the brink of the brook, and babe
him struggle to reach her out stretched
hand. The work OF deIiverance was
speedily accomplished, and the graft.
tlrde OF the poor fool expressed itself
in u fashion the most touching and, at
the same time, grotesque. One days
exhibition OF this gratitude Miss Ans
tey would have considered amply suf-
ficient to repay even plunge after
him into the turbid stream, had ne
cessity pointed to that mode
of rescue. But it was insatia-
BILE, and became a positive
nuisance. She could not move from
her fathers door but she saw the fell
low towering near. He would follow
her about like her shadow. and, from
q discreet distance, fix his imbecile
gaze upon her as she sat sketching.
Remonstrance was all in vain, and at
length Squire Anstey took the matter
up, and the removal of Silly Billy
from the village became talked of as
an event likely to take place in week
or SO. Mrs. Hanneton was fiercely ex-
asperated, and it was no easy matter
to induce her to see how great the
benefits would be to her beloved boy;
that he would be beyond the reach OF
his tormentors at an asylum, and
have the advantages OF physicians
whose principal object would be to
assist in restoring reason to her
throne. But, somehow or another,
Billy's deportation from his native
village was for ever being procrasti-
mated.
One chilly October night, when it
might naturally be expected that ev-
cry quiet Inhabitant OF the little vii
lage would be wrapt in slumber, the
denizens OF Longley hall were awaken
ed by loud knockings and unearthly
cries. incessantly repeated from with
out. Sir Eustace, putting his head
out OF the window, demanded in an
cry tones who was there, and what
was the cause OF this disturbance.
There stood an object in long
white smock, abbreviated trousers.
cap sticking on to the back OF his head,
whimperlng and mounting, and call
ing out his daughters name.
"Be off home, will you, this instant,
you young imp!' roared the squire,
furious at the annoyance of
being dragged from his bed
at the summons of an idiot.
"Dye hear?" he continued, in still
louder voice; "what business have you
to come prowling about the hall and
kicking up a row this time o'night?
OF with you, sir. to your mother!
and see if don't have you shut up
tight in mad house before to.mor-
row comes to close.'
But Squire Anstey might as well
have been rating the winds as the inn
beetle specimen OF humanity before
him. He broke out into yet strong
er lament, and his contortions be-
came exaggerated as he persistently
pointed in the direction OF window
near to the one that, by some means
or other, he discovered to DO that of
his beloved benefactress.
The application of jugfull OF cold
water to the head and shoulders of Silly
Billy was on the point of being carried
into effect by the Infatuated master of
the hall, when his attention was sud-
denly arrested by the smell OF burn
ing. A hot Whit descended, and, as it
were, surrounded him. There was a
smashing OF glass, and burst OF
black smoke from overhead shut out
from his view the frosty light of the
stars and the bright October moon.
to envelope him in an awful pail. And
then-horror OF horrors!-the next
moment shot out tongues of lurid
flame that scorched and suffocated
him: His darling I.aura's room was
meant. No, thank God! it was not
she had chance of rescue. He flew
tn nd
ged at the alarm bell with
such violence that the whole vii.
lage turned out in an amazingly
short time to proffer help. The fire
engine from the neighboring parish
came tearing down the scene Of the
threatening confagration, and, after
doing fierce battl with the devouring
flames that had laid strong hold upon
the root and colored the sky above
and around with a deep crimson glow
to be seen for miles, at length succeed
ed i'll getting then under before they
had done irreparable damage.
The origin of the Great Longley hall
was eventually traced to the careless
ness OF a housemaid, who had placed
a lighted candle in dangerous proxim-
ity to the low wlndow-curtains of the
room adjoining Miss Anstey's, and,
forgetting it. went to her bed and left
it there.
All thanks to Silly Billy that the
squire and his daughter, with every
member of the household, were
not roasted to death or suffo-
Gated in their beds! The
boy had seen from his latticed win
dow the unusual light, and, with I'M
common sense. had hastened to give
the alarm. But he was "Silly Billy"
still, and life in his native village was
IL constant martyrdom.
And SO he was sent to an asylum
for idiots, with all allowance from the
grateful Sir Eustace sufficient to guar
antee every comfort, and the indul.
gence of the utmost freedom its rules
afforded. Never a month passed but
what he received welcome visit from
Miss Anstey, who would bring him